There is a wealth of research on the relation of sociometric status and other psychological constructs and behavioural properties. Surprisingly, few studies focus on the stability of sociometric status. Existing studies focus on long-term stability, on short-term variability as a form of measurement error, and are limited to ratings that children receive from others. The present article argues that stability and variability are inextricably bound together. We investigate repeated short-term stability and variability in 6- to 8-year-old children’s given and received ratings. In addition to stability, children show a characteristic pattern of fluctuation and variability. In their patterns of giving ratings to others, children have a certain relatively constant ‘style’. The focus of the present article lies on the presentation of new methodological approaches to the study of variability and stability of sociometric ratings in children. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology 63, 86-101.)